While Captain America, Iron Man and other Marvel superheroes have dominated pop culture only over the last decade or so, Marvel actually turns 75 years old this year. The company celebrated its history Thursday night in a party coinciding with New York Comic Con, and announced its big publishing event for 2015: “Secret Wars,” a giant story that will unite characters from across its publishing history and harkens back to a similar Marvel event from 30 years ago.

It’s a long way from the days when Marvel was in bankruptcy, before the likes of “Avengers” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” filled the multiplex. Read More »

No, the west side of midtown Manhattan hasn’t been taken over by zombies, hobbits, superheroes and monsters. It’s just going to seem that way from now through Sunday.

New York Comic Con opens today, as 100,000-plus attendees – more than a few in lavish, outrageous costumes – descend on Manhattan’s Jacob Javits Center to meet their favorite artists and performers; hear about what’s coming in comics, science fiction, fantasy and horror; and buy all manner of comics, graphic novels, books, video games, toys, DVDs and collectibles.

It’s become the second-biggest such convention in the U.S., after San Diego’s Comic-Con International – and, in the words of Lance Fensterman, who manages the convention, it’s “a big circus.” Read More »

Two weeks ago, actress and singer Patti LuPone grabbed a cell phone out of the hand of an audience member who was texting during a performance of her current play, "Shows for Days." The bold move led to an outpouring of support from fans fed up with glowing screens. Ms. LuPone gives us her five rules of theater etiquette.